Management on one team almost never comments on another team's deal, but Wayne Gretzky found himself in a unique situation yesterday.

He was the original tough trade, so he is uniquely qualified to speak on Ryan Smyth's sudden move to Long Island.

"It's hard to give advice for something like that because it's such an emotional situation,"said Gretzky, who went from Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988. "He's probably very similar to my situation in that he truly enjoyed it here, the fans were great to him and he developed a lot of friendships and relationships in the city. It's more than just being a hockey player on a hockey team."

But Gretzky and the Oilers survived after he got dealt, and he's confident Smyth and the Oilers will do the same.

"The other side of it is as you go down the road you learn and come to understand the business side of the game. Obviously I was devastated and disappointed when I left. I look back at it now and understand why the Oilers traded me. Whether it's right or wrong is up to people to debate and talk about."